U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,986 B1 teaches preparation of a controlled release pseudoephdrine composition in combination with an antihistamine comprising two discrete zones. The first discrete zone comprises pseudoephdrine, one or more hydrophilic polymers, a salt of a polyuronic acid and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a group 11 metal ion and the second discrete zone comprises an antihistamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,917 discloses a controlled release hydrogel formulation for substantially zero-order release rate of drug from the hydrogel which is based on the use of an effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable ionizable compound. The hydrogel forming agent are being selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, sodium alginate and xanthan and the ionizable compound being selected from the group consisting of alkali metal chlorides, organic acids, alkali metal sulfates and alkali metal alkyl sulfates, dihydrogen sodium phosphate and monohydrogen sodium phosphate.
A sustained release cephalexin tablet containing xanthan gum and sodium alginate as matrix formers was evaluated in human volunteers using in-vitrolin-vivo correlations. The optimized formulation containing 5% xanthan gum and 8% sodium alginate, decided on the basis of response surface analysis and computer simulation of cephalexin plasma levels versus time curves was used for clinical trials and was found to prolong the cephalexin blood levels up to 8 hours in humans. However, the relative bioavailability of cephalexin was reduced by about 30% and very little absorption was seen after six to eight hours, rendering the formulation not very useful for once daily regimen (see Dhopeshwarkar V., O'Keeffe J. C., Zatz J. L., Deeter R. and Horton M., Drug Develp. Ind. Phar., 20, 1851, 1994).
Our PCT Application No. PCT/IN00/00112 relates to a pharmaceutical composition of modified release tablets comprising a betalactam antibiotic or their pharmaceutically acceptable hydrates, salts or esters as the active ingredient, and a mixture of hydrophilic polymers selected from the group consisting of at least one sodium alginate and at least one xanthan gum as controlled release matrix, and optionally probenecid. Inclusion of probenecid allows reduction in the amount of active incorporated in the polymeric matrix but can still provide desired once daily profile. The resulting modified release matrix formulation not containing probenecid may be administered in a once or twice daily regimen and the resulting modified release matrix formulation containing probenecid may be administered in a once daily regimen. However, it was observed that tablets become soft and irregular after about 6 hours of in-vitro dissolution studies, the integrity of the tablet and its shape is not maintained at a later stage after hydration. This soft irregular mass of the composition may not withstand the peristaltic pressure in the stomach and intestine, which could possibly lead to dose dumping in later stage.
Further, it was observed that the release of the active ingredient was faster from the samples stored for stability study under ambient and accelerated conditions, when compared to initial stage in-vitro dissolution data, which may render the composition ideally not suited for use as a controlled release composition having desired release profile.